Valve.



W. CORLISS'.

VALVE.

APPLIOATION rum) Arma, 1909.

970,469, Patented sept vzo, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

WILLIAMiCORLISS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

VALVE VApplicatiim filed April 3, 1909. Serial No. 487,816.

`To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CoRLIss, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented a new :and useful Valve Designed to Control theDelivery and Discharge of Steam or other Motive Force `To and From aCylinder, ofv

which the follwing is a specification.

l- The object oflthis invention is to simplify the mechanism by whichsteam is admitted to and discharged from an engine cylinder', to reducethe cost of engine construction, to eliminate complicated valve gearing,to d o away with the reciprocating parts thereof,

v andl at the same time `to insure perfect regulation by measuripg outat each stroke the amount of steam necessary to maintain uniformity ofspeed.

lFurther objects are to lessen friction of the engine, to reduce thecost of maintenance', and to provide a system of valves that will worksatisfactorily at an which the engine may be require to run.

I accomplish these results through the mediumof what I term an arborvalve, a struc'- ture peculiar both'in design and operation. Thestructure is not a valve in the ordinary sense of .the term, for it hasno seat, and, in

its normal condition, is never in actual contact with the surroundingmetal, yet it perfectly controls the flow of steam, or other propellingforce. To be more definite: Imagine a plain cylindrical arbor, set inbearings located on each side of the cylinder, en-

tirely outside vof the steam chest, but in perfeet concentric alinementwith a cylindrical opening in the steam ehest.;--make this arbor justsufficiently smaller in diameter than the cylindrical opening, to admitof its continuous revolving, without touching the surface of thecylindrical opening, slot the arbor diametricall to afford a portthrough its interior, an you have my improved valve.

The chief novelty of this invention lies in the fact that I provide formaintaining at all times a clearance between the valve and what isusually termedthe valve seat, making in fact a seatless valve.

I make no attempt lat balancing, or counterbalancing the'valve; on thecontrary, I

provide for suspending -the valve and alloW-' ing it to receive thesteam pressure Vas a load 55, which it transfers to suitable bearingsthat speed at fluence of the heat of the steam-chest will not only runwithA the least ossible frictional resistance, but inasmuc as there isabsolutely no wear upon the surface, will endure for a practicallyindefinite time.

Anothel-,feat'ure of this structure is its adaptability to suchadditions and changes as are necessary to afford a positive actionvariable cut-oifcontrollable by an ordinary f1y-hall governor, thusdetermining at each stroke. of the piston, the time and period of theflow of steam or other propelling power. In the accompanying sheet ofdrawings, Figure l. represents a side elevationcf my improved seatlessvalve. Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the same, taken on line of Fig. l.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my improved controlling valve. Fig. 4 is across- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sfgpt.` 20, 1910. l

section of the same, taken on line :2a-. of

Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line g/.-y. ofFig. 6, illustrating my improved seatless valve and its controllingvalve as applied in the'steam chest, together with the parts embodyingmy improvements; and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View, talcenon line2.-2. of Fig. 5, sliowino' the clearance between the seatless valve andthe surrounding metal.

Like reference characters indicate like parts.

A designates the main steam valve, in the form of a straight cylindricalshaft, having a long concentric bore a? which terminates with a reducedconcentric bore a2 provided with a screw-threaded portion, as at a?.Beyond the shoulder af, left by the bores a* and a?, said valve A islongitudinally slotted through its walls, to provide inlets to registernearly .opposite each other, as at a, a"l in Fig. 2.

B designates the controllin valve, in the form of a solid and straig tcylindrical' shaft, having a body portion b1 and a reduced concentriclstem portion at each end thereof, as b2 and b", and said valve B islongitudinall slotted through its body por-` tion to provi e a port b4which extends from a point within each end of said bod portion and of alength to correspond witht ey length of the inlets a, a.5 of the mainvalve A.

The body portion o1 ot the controllingvalve B is of a size to titloosely within the bore a1 of the main valve A, and when positionedtherein its shoulder b5 abats the shoulder a4 of said valve.

The vali-*es A and B, above described, are essentially designed for usein connection with the well-known Corliss type of engine cylinder,wherein the steam and exhaust valve chests are formed so as to providesuitable chambers to receive vibratory or rocking valves.

Referring to Fig. 6, of indicates the bore or' the valve-chamber, anopening being lprovided between the inner wall J7 and the outer wall c8of the steanrchest, to allow the free delivery7 of steam fromthe'chamber c to the valve-chamber c2. vI `make the arbor-valve Aslightly smaller in diameter than the bore ol, so as to insure aclearance-space c2 between the outside surface of the valve and theinside surface of said bore of. At points where the valve )asses outsideof the'steamchamber c, I make use of an ordinary stuii'- ing-box oprevent the escape of steam from the annwar clearance-space c2. aboutthe valve.

h side of the engine-cylinder C .is A. a bracket d, and on each bracketis secured a support e, which is provided with a journal bearing el, ofa size to receive the end portions of the valve A. One end et the valveA is exteriorly screwthreaded, as at c, to engage thereby with a nut f,which abuts the outer face of the support c, and the opposite end ofsaid valve A. is sligl'itly reduced in diameter, as at al in Fig. l, andon this reduced portion is made fast a bevel-gear y, which meshes with adriving bevel-gear g1. .t

The controlling-valve B 1s held within the bore al of the main valve A,by means of a sleeve 7i, which is made fast within said bore a? andhaving its inner end abutting the shoulder o of said valve B. A Lbushingz' of suitable composition or anti-friction metal is made fast withinthe bore a2 of 4the main valve A, and said valve is also provided with asimilar bushing il made fast within its sleeve L, and each bushing actsas a `iournal bearing for each stem o2, b3 of the controllingvalve l. Ascrewvthreaded plug engages the threaded portion c3 ot.

the main valve `A, to prevent leakage ot' steam from thecontrolling-valve B. The bushing il is shorter than the sleeve L, inorder to provide space 'for a packing Z2 to I surround the stem of ot'the controlling-valve B, and bolts Z, Z secured in the end ot' the mainvalve A are provided with nuts m, m to impinge against and force a,Flange bushing n in contact with said packing, and thus Yform astuffing-box to prevent leakage ot steam from the eonlrollingvalvc B.

An arm f1 made fast on the valve-stem 71g,

i i l 1 degrees, to regulate el, el is in perfect alinement with theaxialv i center of said valve, consequently the clear-` ance-space c2bore bl tending between the bearings el, e1 of the supports e, e. InFig. 6, I have shown this clearancespace c2 very much exaggerated,

is maintained throughout the v formed 1n the steam-chest and ex- 1norder to add force to the language used in explanation of the discoveryupon which I base my the valve problem.

I have made, belief that I have. at least done much toward the'solutionof sa All :sliding valves need lubrication, and

they all require the expenditure of eonsiderable power to operate them.vMy aim is t0 practically frictionless valve, thereforev I make use of,what I term, an arbor valve, as A, F i l,--a construction that isperfectly yl'indrical throughout its length, and having openings passingdiametrieally through it, to provide port-s, as a5, a5 in Figs. l and 2,t'or the passage of steam or save much of this power by making av 1.90

other motive, force. I mount this valve A- upon suitable bearings e1, e1(Fig. 5) whichv the cylindrical4 are in perfect alinement with bore 217formed 1n the steam-chest, and provide means for imparting to said valvea continuous rotary motion, by the"bevel-4 gears g, g1.

To hold the valve A in suspension between supports that are separatefrom each other requires careful consideration. It must be rememberedthat the load upon the valve is intermittent and continually varying inforce. At times it is balanced. Ini- Inediately thereafter there may beexcessive lution of the valve and must be provided for, and yet theremust be no appreciable yielding of the valve. Ot' course it will yieldsomewhat and I provide for this in the valve-chamber or clearance-spacec2. The valve A must be sufficiently large and stift' to withstand thepressure to which it is liable to be exposed without sufficient de-'iection to neutralize the clearance-space c2. A yielding' that will ,besufficient to neutralize the. clcarance-space c2 would be entirelyinadmissible. When I speak of clearance, I .mean a considerable space,not merely-,a running lit which is calculated to provide simplypressurcless contact.. My arbor valve is suslieuded at its ends, andwhen in revolving it passes over and closes the cylinder prat, itreceives a load which is equal tol pressure, amounting to a severeelastic blow. These conditions occur at each revo- 4the difference inpressure ot the steam in the steam-chest and the steam in the cylinder,underneath the valve, multiplied by the area of the cylinder-port. Allsteam-valves are subjected to this ever varying pressure; with theordinary valve the effect is to increase the 4friet-ion, by the wearupon the valve and 'its connections. lVitb my arbor valve it is quitedi'erent, as the load is received by said valve and transferred to itsbearings, which, are entirely outside and removed from the heatpf thesteam and where the bearings can be kept in perfect order at all times,to perform their function with the least possible friction.

It will be remembered that the valve A never comes in contact withanything but the bearings el, e1, at each end ot said valve, and thepacking in the stuliing-boxes- Hence, I plan -for a lworking-clearancenaling Ain space about double the amount *dil the deflection of saidvalve. I have `learned through practical demonstration that my arborvalve is practically ti rbt with say,two and onedialf one thousancths(Qf 1/2/1,000') of an` inch clearance, and I desi n the valve so that itwill withstarul the iilows or pressure to which it is liable to besubjected without deflecting more than one-halt of this amount, hencethe valve will never come in actual contact with the 4surrounding metaland is never seated.

4I do not claim a rotating valve, or a rotating slide valve. I do notclaim a rotary valve made to run with- )ressureless contact, but I doclaim a seat-less valve; a valve that has a clearancespace between itsroutside suriace and the surface of the metal adjacent thereto under allconditions, thereby affording capacity of the valve to yieldinglysupport its load Without coming in contact with the surrounding metal,for therein lies., the solutiono the valve question.

In the drawings I show my rotary valve A for use in connection with avibratory controlling valve B, as applied to a high power reciprocatingengine, but it will be understood that said valve A and its man ner ofmounting may be used independently of said valve B for application tothe class of engines that requires to be driven at a very high rate ofspeed, be it 'either steam,

asolene, or other motive power. The space etween the valve and thesurrounding metal is exceedingly small, the area of the space isconsiderable for it comprehends a large percent-age of thecircumferential area of the valve; a Jfact that precludes any seriousleakage. I term this member A an arbor valve.

I contemplatefiling another application for patent in the United StatesPatent Otlice upon my design for a valve gearing adapted to theoperationof the herein-described arbor valve, and which calls 4for anentirely different treatment than has heretofore been practiced.

lVhat Iclaim and desire to secure. by Lety ters-Patent, is,- Y

1. An arbor valve adapted to perform its service without contact withsurrouiulng metal. u

2. An arbor engine valve rotatable about` its true axis of symmetry andfree from metal contact between its points of suspension.

3. A revolving' arbor passing through a suitable chamber in a steamcylinder or steam chest, said arbor mounted u ion bear,- in at eitherside and se arate rom said cy inder or said chest, an( said arborprovided with ports or openings to control the flow o the power medium.

4. A rotary arbor valve supported and running in bearings that areoutside and independent of an engine-cylinder or its pres sure-chamber,and therefore `practically removed Itrom the influence of thetemperature of the propelling power, and convenient of 5. An arbor valveadapted to perform its service without contactl with the bore of thevalve chamber and without any packing other'than that all'orded by thepower medium.

`6. A rotary arbor valve journaled at each outer side of and beyond thepressure chamber o't` an engine and seatless throughout said chamber.

7. A rotary arbor valve adapted to con- .trol steam power to drive anengine and suspended at points outside of the pressure chamber and saidvalve surrounded by a minute clearance-space through said chamber toprevent leakage circumferentially, of the power medium.

8. A rotary arbor valve provided with one or more ports and having itsends suspended at points beyond each side of the pressure. chamber oflanengine, so constructed that said valve may have its full circumferentialarea of surface, betweenA its suspended points, free from metal contact.

9. A rotary arbor valve having its ends journaled beyond each outer sideof the pressure chamber of an engine and adapted to perform its servicewithout metal contact.

10. A rotaryarbor valve adapted to control the power medium to drive anengine and having its ends journaled at a distance from the power mediumand said valve surrounded by a clearance-space to insure at all times athin lilrn of steam, gas, or other power medium between the surface ofsaid valve and its bore or chamber'.

11. A seatless valve having its ends journaled at a distancetrom thepower medium to drive an engine and designed to rotate in a suitablechamber so proportioned as to leave a minute clearance-space of largearea `mountedon the first mentioned Valve and and said arbor valvesurrounded between tho surface of said valve and the adjacent metal ofthe pressure chamber and thereby render saidJ'alve frictionless andavoiding leakage of the power medium.

. 12. A rotary arbor valve adapted to re-I ceive the power medium of anengine, having its ends mounted in bearings which a-re at a distancefrom the power medium, and' said valve surrounded at all times by aclearance-spacey 13. An arbor valve in the form of a. straightcylindrical shaft adapted to rotate andcontrol the power medium in thechest orchamber of an engine and having its ends mounted in bearingswhich are at a distance from the chest or chamber, and said valvesurrounded byka clearance-space formed in the chest or chamber. l

14:.4 A seatless rotary valve adapted to control the power medium todrive an engine and mounted in bearings which are at a distance from thepower medium.

l5. A seatless valve, so constructed and operated as to insure a minuteintermediate space of large area, between the surface of said valve andthe adjacent material, thereby rendering it frictionless initSoperatiOnand practically proof against leakage.

16. In combination with a vibratory valve for controlling the propellingmedium of an engine, of a tubular arbor valve loosely having its endsjournaled in bearings which are at a distance from the propelling power,

by a elearance-space communicating with the propel ling power.

17. An engine valve supported by bearings located outside of thecylinder or pres-. sure chamber, said valve designed to move parallel toits seat without touching it, thereby maintaining' at all times a ilm ofthe propelling medium between the two surfaces, to prevent leakage andavoid friction.

18. An arbor engine-valve designed to rotate within a film of steam orother motive fluid and the bearings for said valve being entirelydisconnected from the pressure chamber.

19.l A rotary arbor engine-valve having its friction relieved by aclearance-space and the bearings supporting said valve being outside ofthe valve-chamber and disconnected therefrom.

20. A cylindrical arbor enginevalvc of lesser diameter than the bore ofthe valvechamber in order to provide a clearancespace for the steam orother power medium to surround said valve and thereby eliminate thefriction and said valveadapted to rotate in bearings which are separatefrom and outside oit the wilve-chamber.

2l. A, seatless valve-having its ends journaled in bearings which are ata. distance from the power to drive an engine and designed to rotatecontinuously in one direction.

for cont-rolling the power of an engine, of a tubular arbor valveloosely mounted on the first mentioned valve and having its ends mountedin bearings which are at a distance from; the propelling medium, saidarborfor controlling the propelling power to drive y an engine, of atubular seatless valve inclos. ing the rst mentioned'valve and havingits ends mounted in bearings which are at a distance from the propellingmedium, and said seatless valve adapted to rotate continuously in onedirection.

24. In combination with a vibrating valve adapted to control the powermedium to drive an engine, of an arbor valve in the form of a straightcylindrical shaft loosely linelosing the lirst mentioned Valve andhaving its ends mounted in bearings which are at a distance from thepower medium, a

clearance-space surrounding the last mentioned. valve and communicatingwith the power medium, and means to rotate the last mentioned valve. V

Q5. In combination with the chest or chainber for containing thepropelling mediumto drive an engine and saidchest or chamber providedwith a straight valve-bore therethrough, of an arborvalve in the form ofa straight cylindrical shaft of slightly lesser diameter than saidvalve-bore and journaled in bearings which are at a distance from thechest or chamber, and said valve designed to rotate continuously in onedirection.

26. In combination, the herein-described engine-valve structure,consisting of a mainvalve in the form of a straight cylindrical tubularshaft having ports extending lengthwise in its'walls and said valvehaving a concentrically arranged journal bearing Within each endportion; supports secured on the engine-cylinder; brackets secured oneach support and each bracket provided with a journal bearing to receivethe end portions of said valve; a clearance-space surrounding said valvethroughout the valve-bore formed in the engine-chest; a bevel-gear madefast on one end of said valve; a second bevel-gear in mesh with andadapted to drive therst mentioned bevel-gear; a controlling-valve in theform of a straight and solid cylindrical shaft having a body-portion ofa size to loosely lit within the first mentioned valve, saidcontrolling-valve having a. reduced concentric stem projecting from eachend oi its body-portion to rest in the bearcontrolliugwalve having itsport extending 22. In combination with a vibratory valve eov len thwiseof tsbody-porton to' register wit the ports of the first mentionedvalve;

an arm having one end made fast on one stem of said controlling-valve,and a rod- 5 connection from the free end of said arm to impart avibratory motion to said controlling-valve.

